A Forever Kind of Thing
by TwistedSky
Summary: He usually lets her go, but this time he doesn't. It changes everything. Mikita throughout, Thalex in parts 2 and 3.
1. Chapter 1

If this is too graphic, tell me and I'll remove it. There are some sexy times in the first chapter, so avoid that if you don't like it. I disclaim.

XXXXXX

She knows the difference, she can feel it.

With Daniel it made sense, it was safe and sweet.

With Michael it hurts, yet it's perfect. It's powerful and all-consuming, it's destructive and it saves her.

_It's just different._

At first she doesn't know who she is anymore—which is exactly what Division wants, she realizes later—and as soon as she begins to find her place, she falls for him.

Michael makes her want more, he inspires her. She's never said it like that, it _hurts _too much to say things like that.

To say she loves him? It's heartbreaking, because it will never matter.

She gives up on him though, realizing that he suffers when she's near him. He suffers because he loves her more than he can admit to anyone, especially himself. She can see it though, in the way he looks at her, in the way he teases her, in the way he protects her.

_It doesn't matter._

He pushes her away, hurting her in order to do it because she stubbornly insists that their love can survive Division. He says it can't—and later she realizes he was right all along.

He assures her that he doesn't love her, that he can't. He tells her to do her duty to her country.

Sometimes she wonders if he really believes. It doesn't matter though, because at first, she believes him. When she leaves, she builds a life for herself, and eventually she meets Daniel.

Both Nikita and Michael wish she hadn't met Daniel, but it doesn't matter, because she did. She loved him—she loved him in a way that almost made her forget Michael.

She doesn't though—she _can't_ forget him. Her heart aches. She begins to fall in love with Daniel—it breaks Michael's heart to realize this. He tells her not to tell others in Division, but she does. He tells her it's a mistake. He's right, and Daniel pays the price.

When Nikita realizes that Daniel is dead, there's a part of her that wonders if Michael had anything to do with it. She's afraid to ask him, so she doesn't. She doesn't want to know the answer, and there's a part of her that believes that he loves her enough that he would never let that happen. But then she knows he's a yes-man, and that he can do things that hurt her to even think about. Eventually, when Owen tells her the order came from Percy, she realizes she doesn't need to know—because he would never do that to her.

XXXX

Later, she realizes that she is Michael's weak link.

She misses him, but she also misses Daniel, and she feels disloyal.

It's her fault Daniel is dead, the least she could do is mourn him properly, right? The problem is, she's mourning the loss of Michael too.

She doesn't see him for three years. By then, her feelings for Daniel are so wrapped up in regret and guilt that she doesn't know how she feels anymore. He mattered—and she starts to believe that she loved him more than she had ever loved anyone else.

She's only lying though, because that person is Michael.

When she finally sees Michael she thinks she's ready. She reminds him of how attached to her he was. She plays on his feelings for her—just like she has so many times before.

She hopes that by now he's over her—but dreads it just the same.

He's not over her though, and he tells her to go. He says he can't promise what will happen if they meet again, but she can, she says.

Because he still loves her—no matter how hard he fights her, no matter how much pain he inflicts, no matter how much he might insist that he'll cancel her—and that's just how it is.

_He loves her_.

It hurts Nikita to realize that for him, it's always been her. For her though, he thinks it's always been Daniel. Sometimes she wants to tell him that it's him. That Daniel was great . . . but he wasn't _it._

But that's disloyal, and she can't do it. She's the reason he died, so she owes Daniel that much.

So when they begin to come face-to-face quite frequently, they fall into a pattern. They fight, they survive, Nikita leaves, Michael lets her. And although Nikita knows it has to end one day, she hopes it won't be anytime soon.

XXXX

Every time he lets her go it gets harder to leave.

_She misses him._

But one day, everything changes.

One day, he doesn't let her go. At first she worries that he's actually done, that he'll kill her, that it's all over. He has her up against a wall, his arm underneath her chin, close to restricting her breathing, yet not quite doing so.

There won't be backup(Nikita planned it that way), so Nikita wonders why he isn't letting her go, but he isn't doing anything else either. She's glad he isn't though, because he's making this easier for her.

She looks into his eyes, but they make her nervous. She's not the nervous type, so she looks anywhere but in his eyes. Her eyes drift to his lips, and she wants—for a shocking, desperate moment—to kiss him.

She looks back up into his eyes, because that's preferable. She feels like she can't breathe, but not because of anything Michael is doing. Or, well, that's not quite true.

She wants him.

She's attracted to him, just as much as she's ever been. And now he's holding onto her, and they aren't fighting. So she can't help but want him—though a part of her realizes that when they fight . . . it's practically foreplay, because that's all they have. She enjoys the pain he inflicts, because for those moments he is touching her, and she can feel him, and she knows he's okay.

She worries about him all of the time. She wants him to be safe.

And she misses him and lo—she cares for him.

She's still staring, but his eyes have drifted to her lips, and she licks them self-consciously.

She feels feverish and warm, which is almost funny because she knows the room they're in has air conditioning. It's on full-blast too, but it doesn't matter.

She can feel him. She wants him, and he wants her, and neither one of them will make the first move.

They move simultaneously, his arm drops and hers rise, wrapping around his neck and his lips slam onto hers.

She misses him, but with the kiss everything suddenly feels . . . right.

She's not thinking about Daniel, or Division, or anything but _Michael_.

He grunts, lifting his lips from hers, and sliding around to her neck, leaving tingling sensations everywhere. She feels like she's on fire—and all because of him.

She knows this is different, this is not just a kiss. And he knows it too.

Her hands slide down from his neck and grab at his jacket, practically ripping it off. She grabs at his shirt, trying desperately to get beneath. She wants to feel him. She wants her skin against his, so much that she thinks she might die if it doesn't happen fast enough.

His hands have already been quickly at work, sliding off her jacket, pulling off her shirt—breaking the flurry of kisses he's pressing to her skin momentarily—and she knows he wants it too.

She wants it fast, so she grabs at him, trying desperately to hurry him up. He, however, has other ideas. He's slowing down.

"Michael?" She asks, questioningly.

He doesn't answer her, he merely brushes back hair out of her eyes and takes her arm pulling her over to a nearby room which—she throws a careless thought of thanks to some nameless god—has a bed.

He lays her down softly. He kisses her softly, pulling off her pants, and she's still working off his.

In short order he's naked, and all she's wearing is her underwear and bra.

He leaves a trail of kisses—starting at her lips, and making his way downward. He's driving her crazy, and going slow as hell, she touches his hand and he looks up at her face. She's begging with her eyes to hurry up. She's been lonely for a long time, and no one has ever make her feel like this, not like Michael.

He smiles slightly, and she realizes he's going to do whatever he wants anyway.

He goes back to kissing her, he gets down to her belly button and she moans. She feels his hands on her, and all she wants is more, more, _more. _

His right hand goes down to her panties, and squeezes her through them.

She moans. "Michael," she practically begs.

He looks up at her, giving her a dark look. He leans down and kisses her. His fingers slide under the slightness of her underwear and she breathes heavily.

She's already wet, and she can practically feel his smile as he slides a finger up and down her slit.

He wants this to be slow and exquisitely painful.

She reaches down, grabbing him in her hand, squeezing in a warning. He needs to hurry up, or she's going to get vengeful.

He pokes a finger into her, swirling around inside of her as she gasps. It's been a long time.

She feels him slide another finger inside of her pussy and start to rub her clitoris with what feels like his thumb. She quickly orgasms, feeling waves of pleasure convulse her body as he rubs at her.

As she comes down from the orgasm, she feels him slide back up on top of her, and he kisses her on the forehead softly. His head moves slightly and he whispers into her ear, "Are you sure?"

She smirks, and quickly rolls on top of him, surprising him. She kisses him fast and hard, lowering her head to his cock.

He grunts in surprise before she even touches him. She takes him in her mouth slowly and he gasps.

"Nikita—"

She pulls back a little, sliding her tongue around the tip.

At that he grunts, grabbing Nikita and pulling her off of him, and sliding over so that she's under him again. "Not time for that, Niki."

He kisses her lips softly, but pulls away roughly.

His hand goes back down to her pussy, sliding around inside of her. "Ready?"

"Always," Nikita smiles.

He rips her panties to shreds, and his cock goes right up to her entrance. He looks down at her, waiting until he meets her eyes before he pushes his length into her.

She gasps and he hisses as he feels her widen to accept all of him. She takes him easily to the hilt—and there's a lot of him, but she's so very, _very_ wet and ready for him.

He stops, letting them both adjust to this. They've never done this before, and it feels almost magical.

Michael begins to move within her, slowly at first—and it's driving Nikita to the edge, but she can't quite transcend the cliff. She starts to move under him, and he moves faster and faster—she can feel herself exploding in the most intense orgasm of her life.

She clenches around him—which sends him to the edge, and he comes inside of her.

For a brief moment neither one of them know what to do, but their bodies slow down and they stop, just staring into each other's eyes.

He's still inside of her, but he decides to get off her before he falls on top of her.

He rolls off to the side and they both stare up at the ceiling.

"I—"

"Shh—"

The turn to face each other on their sides, staring again into each other's eyes, as if somehow they'll find some sort of answers in them. Because what they just did cannot be undone, and they wouldn't want to undo it even if they could—but maybe it'll be harder now to move on, to keep living as if they don't need each other, because they do.

Michael's hand slides up to cup Nikita's face, and he wipes away a tear that starts to bead up near her eye with his thumb. "Nikita—"

"This is what happens, Michael, when you change things."

Michael's face shutters, because he's afraid of what comes next, he's afraid of what she'll say—no matter what it is.

"You always let me go, but this time you didn't."

Michael sees that Nikita isn't sure if she's happy or unhappy about this turn of events—because there's too much water under the bridge, it's practically flooding it, it's nearly unrecognizable.

Maybe it's time to build a new bridge, he thinks.

"I love you," he says simply and honestly.

"I know," Nikita says, a sad smile overtaking her features, "I've always known." Nikita's left hand goes up to cover his hand that's still cupping her face. "I love you too."

His eyes close, and he enjoys the moment, because he knows that as soon as this is over, as soon as their break from reality is over, this is over too. It'll never happen again, he assures himself.

XXXX

They're silent as they put their clothes back on—minus Nikita's underwear, which have been destroyed beyond reparation, but she stuffs them into her pocket anyway.

They stare at each other, fully clothed. The moment is already over. He won't kiss her goodbye, but he also won't attack her.

"I'm sorry." Nikita says.

He looks at her in surprise. "For this?"

"For everything else, Michael." The look she gives him makes him realize that she's hiding something.

"Nikita?"

"I just wanted to keep you safe." Nikita says.

Michael feels his heart drop. "You tricked me."

She says without shame, "You're the one who came, you're the one who didn't let me go."

He looks at her, and feels hurt bubble up within him, but he understands. He does.

"Goodbye, Nikita."

She was afraid of this, afraid that in destroying Division she would lose Michael too.

XXXX

Michael drives back slowly, because he knows that what awaits him won't be easy to see.

He stops a little way away, not wanting to get caught. He sees that Division was on fire, burning. He sees his recruits are fine. He sees Percy and so many others in handcuffs.

He knows it's over now.

And Nikita saved him.

_He almost hates her for it._

XXXXXX

_Parts two and three will be up soon. Review?  
_


	2. Chapter 2

Again, I disclaim.

XXXXXX

Alex knows it's coming. She knows that Nikita will manage to distract Michael long enough so that this can all just happen. She knows that Nikita finally broke the ties that connected Percy to every sector of the government—that his puppet strings and his leverage are _gone_.

She knows it's time, and she knows she's supposed to take the back way out, and let everyone else just . . . end up wherever they end up.

She's supposed to leave, but she can't leave without _him_.

She can't do it, she wants to—that's a lie, she doesn't. She wants him to come with her, but she's terrified that he won't.

She has this night, and that's all. Tonight, that's when it will all go down. Tonight is the end of everything that's she's worked for. No, she corrects herself, tonight is when everything she works becomes worthwhile.

She goes to him, and he smiles. He has no idea what's to come.

He doesn't know why she's there. It doesn't matter though, because she loves him. She loves him so much—but he's so loyal to Division this could be the end of everything. She knows she's taking a risk. She knows that she could lose everything—she could ruin everything if he tips off Division.

She goes anyway. She trusts him to do the right thing.

"Hey," she says.

"Hey," he smiles back at her. His smile makes her melt in a way she hasn't let it before. Now she can't help herself—she's emotional, _and she just can't help it._

"Come with me," she says.

His smile falters, but he stands up and follows her as she sneaks through hallways he knows they're not supposed to go through. "Alex—" he starts to protest, but she spins around and places a single finger on his lips, telling him to be quiet.

He does, mostly because he's curious about what she wants.

She takes him into a room that he doesn't recognize. She turns to him and puts her hands on her hips, starting to pace.

"Alex, are you okay?" he asks tentatively.

"No," she answers honestly.

"What's going on?"

Alex stops pacing and walks up to him, taking his hands in hers, and staring into his eyes. "I'm in love with you."

Thom feels like his heart is beating so quickly it'll explode out of his chest. "Alex, I—"

She squeezes his hands, "Thom," she interrupts. "There comes a time when you have to make a choice. This is one of those times."

"I don't understand." And he doesn't, not really.

She starts to speak, telling him about Division—saying things he's always been afraid to think about, but when she says them, he knows they're true.

"How do you know this?"

"I've been working to bring them down."

He drops her hands, and runs them through his hair. He doesn't know what to say or do. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because it's over, Thom. I'm leaving. Right now. And I need to know if you'll come with me."

She looks at him, not begging, not entreating him with her eyes. She simply looks at him, waiting for an answer.

"Why me?"

"Because I love you," she says simply. "And I wanted to give you a choice."

"You're the reason Nikita didn't kill me," he says, realization dawning. Because it's clear to him now: Alex and Nikita were working together to bring down Division. And they'd won.

Alex nods. That's irrelevant, she needs an answer soon.

"Yes."

Alex bites her lip to keep from smiling. "Yes, you'll come with me?" She needs to make sure.

"Yes." He's not even sure why he's said it, why he wants to be with her so desperately. He knows that if he stays, it doesn't matter, but it'll make him loyal to a cause not worth fighting for.

Alex holds out her hand.

Thom looks at it and without hesitation he takes it in his.

The real reason he goes with her is because she makes him _fe__el;_ she makes him want _more_.

And honestly? He loves her. And that's why he goes.

XXXX

She takes him through a complicated system of passageways, and finally they're on the outside.

He doesn't know what to say, because this is it. It's over.

As they head out to nearby woods, where a car has been stashed for their use, and he begins to hear sirens. Alex doesn't look at him, she merely gets into the driver's seat of the car, and he gets in the passenger's side.

They drive along some windy roads, and he drifts off to sleep in the silence, because she hasn't said a word, and neither has he.

When he comes to they're outside of a building. Alex gets out, and Thom follows suit.

Alex leans against the wall in the alley where she's parked the car. She starts shaking and she sinks to the ground, beginning to cry.

He doesn't say anything, he just sits down next to her, pulling her towards him. She leans into his arms and he leans his head on top of hers.

He lets her cry. He doesn't try to interrupt. He doesn't try to comfort her with words, because she needs him to be there—he doesn't know how he knows that, but he does.

Finally, the tears stop. Thom looks up, and has no idea where they are. Alex looks up at him, leaning up slightly to kiss him lightly on the lips.

She feels like she's drowning in him.

She pulls away and smiles faintly. They both get up, and Alex starts to walk down the alley. Thom follows her as she turns corner after corner until finally they end up in a building that seems like it should be empty. It's not.

He follows her inside and up a set of stairs to a large open area. There are clothes and weapons and there's surveillance equipment.

Alex takes him to the top floor. "This is mine, she said that if she wasn't discovered this is where we'd meet up again. This is my . . . room." Thom looks around.

Alex walks over to the king-sized bed and drops down. "I'm so tired."

"I'm sure you are." He's beginning to see that there's so much more to this than he realized.

Alex drops back down onto the bed after looking up when he speaks to her. It is so soft . . . and she wants to sleep.

He walks over, taking off his shoes, and taking off hers too. He lies down next to her on the bed.

They both stare up at the high ceiling. Alex is nervous, she doesn't know what comes next.

Thom tentatively reaches his hand out to hers, she takes it. He squeezes and she squeezes back. He lifts her hand up to his lips and he kisses it, then lets their hands fall back down between them.

Simultaneously, as if they're reading each other's minds, they both turn to the left. Alex moves back against him, and they just stay there. His other arm goes around her in a hug.

For a brief moment Alex feels like everything is going to be okay. Moments later, she's asleep.

Realizing that she's asleep, Thom knows she trusts him, truly. He listens to her breathing and it comforts him, and he falls asleep with her in his arms.

For a brief moment, everything is perfect in the world.

XXXX

Later, Nikita walks in, and she's tired and exhausted. After she and Michael parted ways, she went off to make sure that everything went as planned.

She realizes that Alex brought back Thom, and she smiles. She's glad that Alex has found him—that he came with her bodes well for their relationship.

She thinks about her own complicated relationship with Michael and her smile falters.

She takes a shower, trying to wipe away the feeling of him—but her nerve endings are on fire, and all the water does is make her miss him more.

As she steps out of the shower she feels lonelier than she has in a while. She misses Michael.

She wonders if the hole in her heart will ever stop feeling so empty.

XXXX

Alex and Thom wake up almost at the same time. Thom wakes up because he senses the change in Alex's breathing. Then he smells food, and he knows it's time to get up. He opens his eyes and meets Alex's eyes. He lets her go and they sit up and look towards a waiting, smiling Nikita.

"Food?" Nikita asks.

"Yes, please." Alex says, bouncing up. "I'm so hungry, thanks."

Alex and Nikita sit down at a table in the corner of the room and Thom sits nervously.

Alex shoots him a look and smiles. At that he stands up and walks over to them, sitting awkwardly at the table across from Nikita.

Nikita smiles. "It's nice to officially meet you, Thom."

Thom's nervousness melts away when she hands him a container of food. "Thank you, Nikita."

And at that moment they decide there will be no war, that there is nothing to discuss, because Nikita has welcomed him into her home, and that is all there is.

As he digs into his food, Nikita begins to speak.

"You can't go back now, it's over. There's nothing to go back to. There are more than a few governmental officials who want nothing more than to watch Percy fry. Some of the others won't suffer as much. Most of the recruits will end up fine, after rehabilitation. Amanda escaped." At that Nikita's face hardens. "Birkhoff will probably get pulled into government service, as will most of the other recruits, depending on how they play it."

Alex interrupts, "What about Michael?"

Nikita's face saddens. "He'll be fine."

"Where was Michael anyway? He was missing during the raid." Thom almost didn't want to know the answer.

Nikita's face shuttered, "I kept him distracted. He'll hate me for it, but it was worth it. To keep him safe."

Alex shot a curious Thom a look that demanded he stop the line of questioning, so he went back to eating his food.

XXXX

Alex is worried about Nikita. It's been two days, and Nikita seems to be in another world.

Eventually she decides she can't keep waiting for her to open up. She and Thom are still living with her, getting ready to move. It's time to leave, it's time to start over. And Nikita is going with them. Alex doesn't want to go until Nikita is ready to leave.

"Nikita," Alex says softly.

Nikita turns to her, "Alex, I thought you and Thom were going to go out to the park today."

"He wanted to spend some time alone. To say goodbye."

Nikita practically whispers, "I understand that."

"I'm sure you do. What's wrong, Nikita?"

"What makes you so sure anything is wrong with me? I just took down Division—that's been my life for so long . . . it makes sense that I'd feel a little odd."

"It's not just that." Alex says simply, waiting for her to tell the truth.

Nikita feels a tear begin its descent from the corner of her eye. She wishes she could stop crying, but she's so emotional, she can't stop.

"It's Michael, isn't it?"

"Yes," Nikita is honest.

"Where is he?"

"I don't know."

"Maybe you should find him before we leave."

"I can't. If he wanted to find me, then he would."

"Maybe—"

"Alex, please. It's over."

Alex isn't sure what is worse—that Nikita believes it, or that it might be true.


	3. Chapter 3

I disclaim. Enjoy! This may be just a bit too fluffy. But I don't care, because I finally got my fluff back.

XXXXXX

Nikita watches as the last of their things are put into the car. They're getting ready to drive to the airport. Then it will all be over.

Nikita sighs, and tries to contain her tears. She's cried enough lately, it's time to move on.

_It's time to let go._

It hurts to admit it, but Michael left and he no longer wants to see her.

As she takes one last stroll through the place she's called "headquarters"—but never truly home—she wonders what he'll do. She tries not to think about what she'll do, because what she really wants to do for a while is just _live_.

She hears noise behind her. "I'll be out in a moment."

"I should hope so, or you'll miss your flight."

Her heart jumps. She turns around quickly, "Michael?"

He smiles. She walks toward him, touching his cheek with her hand, just to tell herself that he's really there. "Nikita."

"Why are you here?"

"Because I'm going with you, if you want me to."

"I thought you hated me," she says before she even has the opportunity to think.

"I wanted to. But I can't. I just can't." Michael looked at the ceiling. "There's a part of me that just wonders how this happened. Because under other circumstance, we shouldn't be here."

"I know." She understands.

"When I first met you, I knew that things would change. And I was right. I fell—I tried so hard not to care for you, but I did."

And she hadn't made it easy on him.

"I pushed you away. I pushed you at you and—"

"I met Daniel."

"And you met Daniel," he says it without resentment.

"It was always you, Michael."

"Was it?"

"Always," Nikita leans forward and kisses him softly on the lips.

"You saved me. Not just a few nights ago, but you saved my soul. I—"

"You couldn't leave Division until it left you."

"I'm sorry that I couldn't do that for you."

"And I'm sorry I chose Daniel."

"He was a good man."

Nikita smiles sadly, "He was, and he deserved better than what I gave him."

Michael can't respond to that, so he hugs Nikita close to him, kissing her hair. "I love you."

"Can you forgive me?"

"Can you forgive _me_?"

Nikita pulled back from Michael and met his eyes. They both smiled and kissed softly.

It was forgiveness. The answer was yes, and that was all that mattered.

XXXX

_Nine months later_

"This is such a cliché." Nikita moans at her husband of mere hours.

"I know, but we've spent enough of our lives living outside the lines, it was time we started to live inside at some point."

Nikita gives him a look. She is not amused. It doesn't matter, because her intense look is interrupted by another contraction and she practically breaks his arm with the stress she puts it through.

"I hate you."

Michael smirks. "This is your own fault. You were the one who decided to tempt me with sex. I didn't know we were going to be . . . you know."

"Michael, it wasn't my intention to have sex with you."

"Really?" They had never talked about it before.

"Michael, every other time we'd fought you let me walk away. That time . . . you didn't. You changed the rules. I was just going to knock you out and tie you up."

"Kinky."

Nikita groans, "Michael, if you ever want a repeat of that night you better hope your spawn comes out soon."

Michael kisses her forehead. "I love you, Niki."

"I love you too."

XXXX

Four hours later, Michael is a proud papa. He walks into the waiting room and smiles at the waiting Thom and Alex.

"And?" Alex demands.

"It's a girl."

Thom smirks, "I win."

Alex punches him. "A boy would have been so much cooler, but I suppose we can handle a girl."

Michael looks at them like he usually does—kind of like they've lost their minds. But also like he loves them, because he does. They're a family.

"Michael, you're not getting rid of us," Alex smiles.

Thom pats him on the shoulder. "Yeah, dude. You're a dad now. You need us."

At the absolutely stricken look on Michael's face both Alex and Thom dissolve into laughter.

Michael walks back into the hospital room and watches Nikita with their child.

He feels a surge of love and thanks.

Nikita looks up, and so does the baby, as if sensing his entrance.

She smiles, and he smiles back.

Somehow, everything is perfect.

Even though they spent years pretending that there was nothing between them. Even though he practically pushed her into Daniel's arms. Even though they'd almost killed each other on multiple occasions. Even though he'd been horribly loyal to Division, and she had taken it down . . . None of it mattered anymore.

All of those regrets were gone.

Now it was just the five of them.

And everything was perfect.

XXXX

_A few years later_

Things were a little less than perfect.

"Where are the rings?" Michael asks his little girl. "Dani, where did you take them?"

Danielle smiles a sweet, childish grin. "I don't know."

Thom makes a pained noise. "She's going to cancel the wedding."

"Thom, get hold of yourself. She's going to marry you, and we're going to find the rings. In fact, we're going to make sure that Alex never knows about this."

Thom sighs, "Thank you, Michael. It means a lot."

Michael smiles, places his hand on Thom's shoulder. "You're getting married today, Thom. You'll be fine."

At that moment Nikita knocks on the door and enters, "Looking for these?" She holds up the rings. "I found them in Dani's jacket pocket."

"You're my hero, Nikita," Thom says, incredibly thankful, as Michael takes them and safely places them in his pocket.

"Don't let Alex hear you say that," Nikita smiles and turns to her own hero. "Speaking of heroes." She leans and kisses him. "I missed you."

"I missed you too."

"It's only been fifteen minutes." Nikita reminds him, ignoring the fact that she said she missed him first.

"When you love someone, fifteen minutes can feel like an eternity," Thom says softly.

Michael and Nikita stare into each other's eyes. "I think they're going to be okay."

"I know they will be. They're a lot like us."

"Except less attractive."

"And not as intelligent."

"And definitely not as—"

Thom interrupts, "Okay, so can we finish this after we actually become an _us_?"

Nikita kisses the corner of Michael's mouth, then leans down and looks into her daughter's eyes, "Ready to go?"

"Yes, mama." Dani holds her arms out and Nikita picks her up, even though in the dress she's wearing it's not an easy task. Nikita holds her out so that she can kiss her dad dutifully on the cheek, then they leave.

"You're lucky." Thom says softly.

"Incredibly so. But so are you."

"I know," Thom says, messing with his tie. It still shocks him that Alex said yes to his proposal.

Michael steps closer and starts in on the tie. "You still haven't figured out how to do this?"

"There was a time when I could, but—"

"I know. But it's been a few years now."

"I like having Alex do my tie, it reminds me of how this all started."

Michael lifts an eyebrow.

Thom smiles, "Nevermind. It doesn't matter. But when I don't have Alex—"

"You can't do it. I get it," Michael finishes with the tie and steps back. "Ready?"

"Always."

XXXX

Thom stands next to Michael—his best man, of course, there's not a single person he'd want to stand up for him more.

He watches as Dani prances down the aisle. He smiles as Nikita walks down towards them, keeping eye contact with Michael the entire time. He hopes that he and Alex will be that successful. He wants that.

_He wants that love._

When he sees Alex he realizes that he _has _that love.

She's beautiful—but then again, she's beautiful every day. She's beautiful when she's grimy and gross, when she first wakes up in the morning, with bed head and morning breath.

She's always perfect.

Sometimes, he realizes, you know that things will change.

The first moment he laid eyes on Alex he knew that she would change him—that she'd either destroy him or save him. She did both, destroying the bad, and healing the best of him.

She makes him better, and she claims he does the same for her.

As she walks toward him, his heart beats faster—and if anyone had the ability to hear heartbeats, they would have noticed that their hearts were beating in sync.

XXXX

Nikita kisses Michael full on the lips, entreating him with her mouth to not get out of bed.

"I'll be right back."

"I know. I love you."

"I love you too."

The best part about falling in love and finally being able to admit it was that Nikita could stare unashamedly as her naked husband ran off to the bathroom.

She smirked. The best part, actually, was knowing that he was hers, and she was his.

And that this—this was a forever sort of thing.

XXXXXX

Reviews make me happy. Just saying. Hehe.


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